Minuteman Monthly Newsletter Issue 47 June 2005 This month's Minuteman Monthly Newsletter's Aiming Point contains a detailed self defense incident that happened in the state of Maryland. It was originally published by the Montgomery Citizens for a Safer Maryland http://www.mcsm.org/ The compelling and informative incident is republished here with permission. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MINUTEMAN MONTHLY QUOTES OF THE MONTH "Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom." President John F. Kennedy "No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women." President Ronald Reagan "I have been asked over and over, by those who don't know me, to leave my emotions out of my decision when voting on this bill. I must admit that I am more concerned about the emotions and anger displayed by those opposing this bill." Kimberly J. Davis (R) Augusta Maine House Rep. (This is part of a reply I received from a co-sponsor of a semi-auto and .50 caliber rifle ban in the Maine Legislature.) Note: When our elected officials openly and brazenly violate both the federal and state constitutions, the flak, scorn and criticism they receive from their concerned constituents should be aggressive enough to concern them. "It's the Constitution stupid." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WWW.SAVETHEGUNS.COM GUN SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH If you do a bunch of your shooting at indoor pistol ranges, you should make sure that the range is fully ventilated and the fans are properly working. There can be a relatively high concentration of lead and harmful compounds in the air, if proper ventilation is not observed. In addition to this, make certain that you wash your hands very well after shooting and cleaning your guns. There are many harmful compounds found in gunpowder and ammunition priming compounds. Some of them are listed here: diazodinitrophenol potassium nitrate nitrocellulose boron metal nitroglycerin tetrazene lead nickel copper zinc lead styphnate barium nitrate Make certain also that if you're an ammunition reloader, that you wear latex or plastic gloves when handling a lot of lead, or at the very least wash your hands very thoroughly before eating. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ GIVING AN NRA MEMBERSHIP Did you know that you can give someone the gift of an NRA Membership? That's right and it's very easy to do. You can give your Dad or Grandfather a Father's Day gift of an NRA Membership. What a great idea for Father's Day this year!!! Why not give that great Dad of yours an NRA Membership for Father's Day? Or why not give that new graduate an NRA Membership? http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp?campaignid=XR017807 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MINUTEMAN MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AIMING POINT This self defense incident is very instructive. It goes to show how valuable a ready firearm can be. When considering the availability of a defensive firearm, please also carefully consider gun safety for any young ones in the home. That's an issue that gun owners have been grappling with for centuries; firearm availability and gun safety measures.... ***************************************** ***************************************** Used with Permission of the Montgomery Citizens for a Safer Maryland http://www.mcsm.org/ Real Life Experience & The Dangerous Anti-Gun Agenda Would Your Family Survive? [Edited For Web Publication] The following is the story of a home break-in and the attempted homicide of a husband and wife. Imagine the outcome if children were in the house and the parents did NOT own firearms. Analysts within the FBI have stated that we are in "the calm before the storm" involving youth and gang related violence in America. In the near future, this situation could happen to your family--especially if you live in the city or the suburbs. What would you do...when the police don't arrive in time? There is a short story in a recent issue of "The American Hunter" (published by the NRA) that justifies, in my opinion, the bearing of arms by private citizens. I'm referring to a break-in at my brother Don's home in Little Rock and the consequences to a poorly-informed intruder who made the mistake of choosing the home of a gun collector. Both Don and his wife knew how to use the guns in his collection. The magazine article was so thoroughly edited that a lot of the truth of the encounter has disappeared, so I'll amplify a bit. The .22 rifle (used by the intruder) in question was modified by shortening the barrel and replacing the stock with a pistol grip. This made the weapon easy to conceal under a long coat. The 14-year-old in question was 6'2" tall and weighed 210 pounds. He was considerably taller, younger, and stronger than my 60-year-old brother, who is about 5'11" tall and weighs 240 pounds. The assailant shouted that he was there to kill the man who lived in the house. Don grabbed the barrel of the assailant's weapon and began to struggle for his life. There were two other boys with the assailant. Both were known members of a black supremacy gang operating in Pulaski County. The boys stayed outside the house as observers during the attack. (Police officers with whom I spoke during Christmas week told me it was a gang initiation, during which the gang member wannabe had to kill a white person with two gang members observing.) Don was wounded during his struggle with the assailant and dropped to the floor, pretending to be dead. He was about to be shot in the head at point-blank range when the assailant's attention was diverted by Don's wife who made a noise in the bedroom. The assailant ran toward the bedroom, shouting for her to come out. When the struggle began in the living room Jane ran into the bedroom and closed the door. She dialed 911 to report the intrusion. Hearing the shots from the living room, she dropped the cordless phone on the bed and reached up into the closet to get her personal police model .38 cal. special (not a .32, as the article states). Reaching for ammunition, she accidentally knocked the box of shells on the top of the dresser which made the sound the assailant heard. Hearing the intruder shouting and advancing toward the bedroom, she quickly chambered the two shells and prepared to defend herself. She shouted that she was armed and knew how to use a gun, trying to discourage the assailant. However, he pushed open the door and fired his weapon hitting Jane in the left arm and the right groin area before she was able to return fire. Meanwhile, Don got back on his feet as quickly as possible and grabbed a collector's edition derringer out of a cabinet and loaded both chambers. Hearing multiple shots from the bedroom, he ran down the hall and through the bedroom door. Jane was in a losing struggle to keep the assailant from pointing the muzzle of his weapon at her head. Don immediately shot the boy in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Police would later report that Jane's two shots would each have been fatal. However, the fatally wounded boy continued to struggle for control of the weapon while shouting "why did you shoot me, you bitch!" While Jane held the boy's wrists during the struggle, she realized only then that he was a youth. When Jane dropped the phone during her 911 report, the line was left open allowing the police operator to hear the shots and the shouting. The operator reported that there was a domestic dispute in progress with shots fired between a husband and wife. Just as Don shot the boy, he heard a noise at the door, thinking the other two boys had returned to finish the job. He realized his weapon was unloaded and started down the hallway to the living room for ammunition. He didn't hear the investigating police officer's (who had entered the house) order for him to drop his weapon. He was looking toward the floor as he was moving toward the officers, holding his wound with his left hand and holding the Derringer at his right side. When the officer repeated the order, Don was about ten feet away and still didn't hear the order. His hearing had been temporarily impaired from gunfire at close range. However, he caught a glimpse of a gold badge out of the corner of his eye and looked up. He raised his left hand toward the officer, dropped the derringer and said "Don't shoot." Don collapsed to the floor. He was immediately handcuffed. The other officer went to the bedroom. Jane was sitting in the corner of the room in a pool of blood. She calmly explained what happened, and asked for an ambulance to be called. Don's handcuffs were immediately removed by a very apologetic officer. While the police were entering the house, a second police cruiser spotted two boys running away. They caught one--the second escaped. The captured youth quickly told the identity of the third member of the gang. It was several weeks before the police were able to apprehend the third suspect. He had, by that time, established a credible alibi which will undoubtedly fall apart when the case comes to trial. In the meantime, Don and Jane were issued concealed weapon permits and were instructed to be armed at all times. They were to defend themselves if other gang members tried to retaliate. By this time, the police had identified the third suspect as the leader of the gang who had planned the attack. Until the time of the trial, the police conducted hourly surveillance patrols of the neighborhood. They would tap their siren while passing the house to let Don know they were in the neighborhood. Several times a day the patrol vehicles would stop to visit Don while he was alone. Don and Jane are looked upon as heroes by the local police. They have become well acquainted with every member of the Little Rock city police, the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office personnel, and all the local patrolmen and women of the Arkansas State Highway Patrol. I met several officers from the various jurisdictions during my visit the week before last. Several of the younger men and women are in awe of the way Don, and especially Jane, conducted themselves "under fire." One of Don's neighbors told me, "Those young punks committed a very serious error when they went up against a couple of citizens able and willing to defend themselves! Now, they know that not just everyone they go after is too scared of them to fight back!" Jane has fully recovered from her wounds. She has flashbacks about the incident and cries about the unnecessary waste of a young life. However, she knows that she had to do what she did. If she had failed to use her gun that day, she and Don would have died. Don's wound, which was more serious than either of Jane's, was complicated by diabetes. This means that healing is a very slow process. Luckily, the bullet did not hit any vital organs. Even after that wound heals, Don will bear a fearsome scar. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If Don and Jane had to abide by the same kind of "feel good" legislation Maryland citizens are subject to, they would be dead today along with anyone else in the household on the day of the break-in. Why do we continue to elect officials who support legislation that creates victims? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER ON TO OTHERS, POST IT ON BULLETIN BOARDS, PRINT IT, OR PUT IT INTO YOUR BLOG. Thank you for registering as a Minuteman Monthly Newsletter Recipient. If you don't want this newsletter or the legislative alerts anymore, just send me an e-mail with "Unsubscribe MMM" in the subject line to: info@savetheguns.com